A Dorking freediver is currently training for his second world championship competition in what he describes a "relaxing" sport.

Mark Gooding used to work as a scuba diver instructor while travelling, diving on reefs and shipwrecks, but one day met a freediver who could go to all the same places but with just a mask and fins on as he could hold his breath for so much longer.

Freediving is a sport where you hold your breath underwater for as long you can, cover the biggest distance, or dive as deep as you can.

They challenged each other to see who could go down the deepest and "it all went from there" 15 years ago, Mark said.

The 37-year-old added: “I started training more in it, the progress was quite quick and very soon I was diving all of the same places I was scuba diving but could move more more easily through the water and marine life comes closer because you haven’t got all the bubbles.”

Now he has held his breath for more than seven minutes in training, and five and a half minutes in competition, and can swim a distance of 160m on one breath.

Mark Gooding in action

Competitive freediving motivated Mark to train more over the past five years within a close knit community.

He was part of the British team at the 2013 World Championships and is currently preparing for this year’s competition in Finland in June.

“The more work you put in the more you get out of it,” he said. “Living in Surrey is great for my training as you are never far from a hill to go running and there are plenty of pools to use.

“It is great to be a part of the British team and the experience to compete at the World Championships is amazing.”

Explaining why he loves the sport so much, Mark said: “I find it very very relaxing being in the water. Most people think it’s more an adrenaline sport, going as deep as you can, but actually it’s the opposite because to hold your breath a very long time you have to be very relaxed and slow your heart rate down.

“It’s a very healthy pastime.”

Mark Gooding

He explained how freedivers’ bodies learn to ration oxygen and become used to using a minimal amount.

Mark never stops - spending part of the year training and, after competition season is over, he goes on a diving holiday to some reefs.

Plus, as well as teaching in the Aldershot area, his day job is in the dive team at Dorking-based rescue company Specialist Group International.